Tuesday, July 26, 2011

One of the many benefits of being a Stampin' Up! Demonstrator is the never ending amount of inspiration that comes from everywhere. In our demonstrator only publication, Stampin' Up! shared some sweet little birdhouses to introduce our new In Colors for 2011-2012 and I had to make one!

Isn't she adorable? This is going across the country to a special friend but I had to post it here first! I would put some sort of shredded paper or faux moss inside of it to cover up the print lines, but other than that, I think it will fit right in in a cottage-y like decor. What do you think?

As an added bonus, I have the pattern available in .pdf form but I'm not sure how to add it here. If you are interested in receiving it, please email me at princess1211(at)hotmail.com and I'll happily send it your way...

Monday, July 25, 2011

I was in a pinch last week to come up with a money holder for a teenager.....I'm not sure why I find making things for them so difficult to do but it's starting to rival my masculine projects in difficulty! Anyway, the talented Dawn Griffith came to the rescue.....

Following this video, I whipped this little purse out in no time flat and think I'll make a few up to have on hand for future gift needs. Give it a try.....it's super easy and pretty darn cute!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

It's been a couple of months since I've done a book review and since my last one was so intense, I intentionally chose a lighter one this time around!

Karen Linamen's light-hearted style of writing had me chuckling out loud in some cases and really thinking in others. She lays out simple suggestions on how to find joy in your life even while in the midst of a tough time. Here are a few ideas directly from the book:

1. Replace the word have with the wordget. Instead of saying I have to make the deposit today, say I get to make the deposit today. Suddenly things like this become more like opportunities and less like obligations.

2. Finish something you've started. Simple, yet brilliant! The sense of accomplishment you get when you finally finish something you've been needing to for some time makes you wonder what took you so long?!

3. Get acquainted with random acts of kindness. Pay for a strangers cup of coffee in the drive thru, allow someone waiting to get out of a parking lot to pull out in front of you or offer to let another get in line in front of you at the grocery store when they only have a few items in their basket.

Taking the focus off of you and putting it on something or someone else allows you time to think things through before responding to your situation based on how you are feeling. Goodness knows that living your life based on your emotions will bring nothing but chaos and grief!

Thank you Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group for giving me this free copy of The Chocolate Diaries to read as part of your reviewing program.

Now, is anyone interested in a Chocolate on Chocolate Trifle recipe? It sounds divine!

Friday, July 8, 2011

Boy, it's been a whirlwind week around here! Monday, I turned 36 and I've been on fast forward ever since! LOL!!

I've done some creating this week and still have a long list of things to accomplish before next week. For now, I thought I'd share what I've gotten done so far....

Last week I whipped up 6 more thank you cards for Tammy. Please excuse the poor quality of this photo....it was taken with my cell phone right before I left for her oncology appointment. I again used the Strength and Hope set from the Summer Mini Catalog. I simply love it!

Next is another set of 6 cards but these ones are a little more detailed and special. They will be given to the incredible staff at the oncology office that she's been receiving her chemotherapy at. I really struggled to come up with something that was beautiful yet could be easily duplicated. I finally decided a simplified version of Teneale's card was a perfect solution.

And lastly, I will be taking these two scrapbook pages with me today to get some photos of the staff and have them write a note of encouragement for Tammy. She's given me all of the emails and cards that she's received over the last several months and I'm documenting her courageous journey in a scrapbook.